All Hawk T1s will be gone by 31 March 2022
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Senior officer signing off on what? The commercial element? The certification base to enable ops in the DAE? Located where? Air Command? MAA? TAA appointed? Organisational approvals applied for and in place?
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Thats my point, I misunderstood whom you meant was signing what off. You meant the Hawk extension, whereas I took it to mean something else.
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Okay, it just didn’t come across that way. It would be signed off in the normal fashion. Im not sure why the MAA would have a dog in the fight other than for interest. It’s a commercial bid so commercial will sign it off, pending review when the bid is submitted; it may not have been submitted yet?
What is the plan for the T1 airframes from 1st April?
Will they go into deep storage somewhere, or be deactivated with their components going back into the supply chain, or being kept airworthy with anti det runs etc?
Or is a man with a crane and guillotine going to be showing up at Leemings back gate on the 1st ?
Will they go into deep storage somewhere, or be deactivated with their components going back into the supply chain, or being kept airworthy with anti det runs etc?
Or is a man with a crane and guillotine going to be showing up at Leemings back gate on the 1st ?
From what I understand the cutting up started at Valley in October / November last year.
A number of active airframes are designated (along with some already in deep store) to be RAFAT replacements to meet OSD 2030 (or beyond?). The first round of RAFAT Mod-2010 airframes will start to be life-ex at some point. I am aware of 2 airframes that have gone to Valley for RTP and I guess key components will be saved for future use, especially those that cannot be manufactured nowadays (Ailerons & Rudders spring to mind, plus certain systems components). I do wonder about the status of manufacture of replacement parts and the repair facilities since the closure of Brough Manufacturing.
I wonder if there will be any replacement aircraft for RAFAT post 2030. Fewer and fewer air shows with each passing year, what with safety concerns and risk assessments, and a formation of 9 jets burning kerosene while they dump diesel into the exhaust pipes doesn’t sit very well with any RAF / UK Govt net zero pledges.
The RN are marking the retirement of Hawks on Thursday 17th March
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As a total military avionics amateur I must admit that I just can't understand "binning" the only jet trainer that we have, without knowing how to replace them. Surely somebody in the MOD should have been planning years ago what plane would be used to train pilots. So is there now going to be a gap in new pilots, how is pilot infill/replacement going to happen?
As a total military avionics amateur I must admit that I just can't understand "binning" the only jet trainer that we have, without knowing how to replace them. Surely somebody in the MOD should have been planning years ago what plane would be used to train pilots. So is there now going to be a gap in new pilots, how is pilot infill/replacement going to happen?
frodo-m
Yes, but according to Wikipedia (so may not be absolutely accurate) the RAF had 81 Hawk T1s, but only has 28 T2s. Andy1999 may have a point?
airsound
The T1 is being phased out of service, not the T2 which is what carries out that role.
airsound
The RAF ordered 176 Hawk T1's, and they equipped an advanced flying training school of three squadrons, two tactical Weapons Units of two squadrons each, a CFS squadron, an aerobatic team the Red Arrows, the Institute of Aviation Medicine, ETPS, A&AEE and RAE. The RAF training aircraft were used to provide aircrew for a total of 32 RAF and RN front line fast jet squadrons.
The RAF ordered 28 Hawk T2's to equip one advanced flying training school of two squadrons that provide aircrew for 8 front line squadrons, soon to increase to 9 when 809 Sqn reforms in a few years, and maybe an additional RAF squadron by 2030 (the slowest re-equipment programme in RAF history?)
The current Hawk T1 fleet of 81 aircraft is used to equip one RAF adversary and aggressor squadron, one RN adversary and aggressor squadron, the Red Arrows with 16 a/c and the Centre for Aviation Medicine with 2, the remainder of the 81 being in store. All but the Red Arrows aircraft and a few in store are being retired this month, without replacement.
So, as they are not used for pilot training there is no equivalence between the 176 Hawk T1, nor indeed the current 81 Hawk T1, and the 28 Hawk T2.
If you REALLY want to look at a comparison, then look no further than the basic trainer situation. There 14 aircraft have taken over the roles of 130! The RAF had 130 Tucano T1 in three flying training schools, a CFS squadron, and later some used for refresher and navigator training. Currently the RAF has 14 Texan T1 in one squadron...